Research Questions:
1. Where do the ideals of nu metal mix the most?
2. Is nu metal is a genre that most rock artists can be linked to?
3. How does the concept of nu metal differ from band to band?
A basic overview: Nü Metal(New Metal) exist as a general way of describing, a sub genre of metal music that incorporates and or is influenced by other music genres. (I.E. hip-hop, funk, grunge, jazz, blues) Created in the late 90's it was used to group together the new wave of new metal bands, such as Korn, System of A Down, Rage Against The Machine, Linkin Park. Although they may be grouped together in such a manner, nu metal bands are very different in the play. For Example, Rage Against The Machine or Linkin Park may incorporate a hip-hop style in their songs. Yet on the other hand a band like System of A Down may incorporate a more ambient or hard rock feel to their songs. In a sense, it is a conglomerate of many types of rock.
The History: Being a relatively new genre, Nü Metal doesn't have a rich history like many other genres. As I mentioned before, it was created in the late 1990's. But it was the band, Korn that was the first band to be classified as "nu metal". In fact they are indeed the only band that still identifies as "nu metal". The term was coined by a music producer by the name of Ross Robinson, to describe this new wave of metal bands using different techniques with their music. This new metal was deemed "new metal".(weird huh?) But why call it Nü Metal? Because it's cooler, duh.
ITS DISTINCTION TO HEAVY METAL
Heavy Metal is more engrossed in the loud, intense, and brutal sounds that come out from the instruments. The lyrics usually have to do with things of the occult, or demonic things like that. Lots of angels and demons. Surprisingly, there's lots of references to Christian themes in them. But nü metal bands, aren't always about the Christ and Satan. They to focus things that they find important to themselves, whether this be politics(Rage Against The Machine), or the downsides of being human(Linkin Park). Although both genres use basically the same instruments, how they are utilized is completely different. For example, in a heavy metal song it's all about hearing that electric guitar just hammer out power chords and giving out insane solos but with a nü metal song, it may want to not have guitar be an extreme part of song but have drums be that instrument to give the song some extra "oomph" to it.
Try to tell the difference!!!
Cyanide - Metallica (Metal) - 1990
Wild International - One Day As A Lion (Nü Metal) - 2009
Samples
Artist: Rage Against The Machine
Rage Against The Machine: Zack de La Rocha (far left, vocals) , Brad Wilk (center-left, drums), Tim Commerford (center-right, bass) and Tom Morello (far right, guitar)
Song: "Bulls On Parade"
Genre: Rap Metal
Year: 1996
As all of RATM's songs, "Bulls on Parade" is a song with strong political undertones. From my research, the song addresses the U.S.'s military and it's aggressive tendencies. It details in many ways how U.S. military could or has already destroyed the U.S. as a whole. Notice how the bass line is constant throughout the song, with a more jazz feel, while the guitar uses distortion techniques, timed with the bass line, in the intro and bridge with a more punk rock feel.
Census Data: "In the year 1980, the percentage of white people in the U.S. (83.1) was more than 7 times the amount of black or african-americans (11.7)." As compared to 1990, where the percentage of white people in the U.S. (80.3) was exactly the same, about 7 times more than african-americans (12.1).
Artist: Rage Against The Machine
Song: "Vietnow"
Genre: Rap Metal
Year: 1997
Another RATM song. This one is much different both in context and sound.
Both bass and guitar use three second riffs, then preceded by another riff throughout the entire song.
This song has a more hip-hop feel than other RATM songs. When the riffs pause the more important
can more clearly be heard. There's also a lot more distortion techniques with both guitar and bass
along with the separate beat of the drums allows for some nice syncing.
Census Data: "In the year 2000, the population of blacks in America from under 18 to 64, (91.8) was almost equal to the percentage of people in America who aren't black. (
87.5)
System Of A Down: from left to right: John Dolmayan (drums), Daron Malakian (lead guitar, backing vocals), Serj Tankian (lead vocals, keyboard) & Shavo Odadjian (bass)
Artist: System of A Down
Song: "Sugar"
Genre: Alternative Rock
Year: 1999
Now System Of A Down is a bit of a conundrum. They believe in the fact that your interpretation of their songs are more important than their interpretation. But here is the widely considered meaning of the song "Sugar". Basically talks of a man who'd taken a sweetener by the name of "Aspartame". This caused him to commit unspeakable crimes against many people. (i.e. his girlfriend) A social reference to the sweetener's ties to homicidal tendencies.This song uses polyrhythms between the drums,
bass and guitar.Especially the bass which has the most
difficult rhythm to keep.
Music Video:
Census Data: "In the year 2000,
Artist: System of A Down
Song: "War?"
Genre: Alternative Rock
Year: 1999
Another SOAD song. The meaning of the song "War?" is a lot more clearer. It talks about
the disaster of the Armenian Genocide of 1915. The song tries to hit a question of "What is war exactly?"
Thus the title being called "War?" instead without a question mark. Asking: "Is this what you call war?"
In fact it's very similar to the song "Veitnow" by Rage Against The Machine(mentioned previously).
It does the same idea short riffs spliced with pauses along with distortion effects. Then fusing the sounds
in the chorus and bridge of the song.
Music Video:
Census Data:
"In the year 2000, the percentage of white children attending school (69.3%) out weighed the percentage of african-american (14.9%) by more than 55%."
Nu Metal as it is in the present
Artist: System of A Down
Song: "B.Y.O.B."
Genre: Hard Rock
Year: 2005
This is a more recent SOAD song being from 2005 instead the 90's where the term was invented. As one of SOAD more politically focused songs, B.Y.O.B. is a acronym for "Bring Your Own Bombs" Derived from the other acronym, "Buy Your Own Beer". Basically talking of the business behind war tactics. Also in the fact of how war is, the men and women, who may be less fortunate, volunteer to fight for their country and just ended dying or being horribly injured in the process. So SOAD, asks the questions constantly throughout the song: "Why do they always send the poor?" and "Why don't presidents fight the war?"
They believe that the government puts so much money into wars, why don't they fight them themselves? This is shredding non-stop, throughout the entire song. Along the vocals into only intensify that, less singing but more a spoken word, to get across what they the want to say. There's some really nice syncopation of the drums along with guitar and bass, when the chorus is playing (listen to understand what saying).
Buckethead is most known for his unconventional playing, avant-garde style, and overall weirdness. One of those odd things being the bucket on top of his head.
Artist: Buckethead
Song: "Waiting Hare" (featuring Serj Tankian & Shana Halligan)
Genre: Blues/Avant-Garde
Year: 2005
This song I believe has remnants of the call and response method. In a simple sense it's a love story where the two lovers are separated by a great distance, with one wanting the other to be with them, and they'll always be waiting for them regardless. In most of the song, it's a switch between the female (Shana Halligan) and the male (Serj Tankian), where they try to communicate throughout the song. This is a great example of call and response, as it returns to our foundation. Also it uses the blues structure very well. It goes where Shana Halligan(A) sings her verses as it goes to Serj Tankan(B) with his drastically different form of singing, into the chorus where the metal/blues really shines. It also incorporates distortion which is huge component of nu metal.
Artist: Buckethead
Song: "Three Fingers" (featuring Saul Williams)
Genre: Alternative Hip-Hop/Rock
Year: 2005
This is another song by Buckethead. But it's drastically different in tempo, from "Waiting Hare". This song paints a different story of a homeless man, with three fingers (thus the title) who plays guitar in the streets yet scares the people passing by with appearance, grisly voice and shredding ability. In a sense, Saul Williams and Buckethead portray this man. The song is a lot more upbeat than "Waiting Hare". Although it has this upbeat tempo, Saul Williams himself speaks in a very low tone of voice, as he portrays the homeless man. Throughout the song he repeats the same verse, : Three fingers on a swollen hand
beside a dented garbage can
a blind man staring
at something only he can see
I spotted him like night
sky plotted and star struck
sits at alone, eats at home
rafted in a sea of blackness
He rattles his cup
just enough to call your bluff
you can't pretend you didn't see him
catch his smile in the rear view
out of the blue his guitar entered hard
with three fingers he plays
praise what he says might scare you
as a means to solidify his appearance. It's almost hip-hop like in it's structure. Then when the song goes into it's chorus, it transform from a hip-hop song into full-blown "metal" sound. This song also uses 4 beats per measure, while "Waiting Hare" uses 16 beats.
Artist: Cage The Elephant
Song: "In One Ear"
Genre: Rock
Year: 2010
This is a song from a newer band, Cage The Elephant. This song talks about the music industry doubted the band's abilities to make in the business. This song represents their opinion on those things said, and sort of giving the middle finger to those who doubted them. They believe that they're here for the music and not the money or fame. Towards the end of the song they talk about how their actually going to take the music industry by storm with their music. You can notice a great deal of syncopation in the intro and bridge of the song.
Music Video:
Cage The Elephant: Matthew Shultz, Brad Shultz, Lincoln Parish, Daniel Tichenor, Jared Champion
African Americans in Nü Metal
As it has been, rock music in general mainly consists of caucasian people. As Hip-hop/Rap is with African-American people. Now this has change over the years when people like Jimi Hendrix entered the rock sense, and changed the way people play music for generations to come. Nowadays, there still less africans-americans in rock than there are in hip-hop. Mainly in metal music, african-american are hard to find. But in the late 90's to the present, African-Americans are becoming more present in Nü Metal. Some notable bands with African-American members are:
Sevendust - Lajon Witherspoon (Lead Singer)
Killswitch Engage - Howard Jones (Lead Vocals), Mike D'Antonio (Bassist)
Main Aspects Of Nü Metal
The following are the instruments found in nü metal. These can be found in every nü metal song, but are not limited to:
Guitar (acoustic or electric)
Bass
Drums
Vocals (be that singing or rapping or even screaming)
Distortion
Killswitch
A Tutorial on "Killswitching" using Jordan by Buckethead.
Nü Metal
Research Questions:
1. Where do the ideals of nu metal mix the most?
2. Is nu metal is a genre that most rock artists can be linked to?
3. How does the concept of nu metal differ from band to band?
A basic overview: Nü Metal(New Metal) exist as a general way of describing, a sub genre of metal music that incorporates and or is influenced by other music genres. (I.E. hip-hop, funk, grunge, jazz, blues) Created in the late 90's it was used to group together the new wave of new metal bands, such as Korn, System of A Down, Rage Against The Machine, Linkin Park. Although they may be grouped together in such a manner, nu metal bands are very different in the play. For Example, Rage Against The Machine or Linkin Park may incorporate a hip-hop style in their songs. Yet on the other hand a band like System of A Down may incorporate a more ambient or hard rock feel to their songs. In a sense, it is a conglomerate of many types of rock.
The History: Being a relatively new genre, Nü Metal doesn't have a rich history like many other genres. As I mentioned before, it was created in the late 1990's. But it was the band, Korn that was the first band to be classified as "nu metal". In fact they are indeed the only band that still identifies as "nu metal". The term was coined by a music producer by the name of Ross Robinson, to describe this new wave of metal bands using different techniques with their music. This new metal was deemed "new metal".(weird huh?) But why call it Nü Metal? Because it's cooler, duh.
ITS DISTINCTION TO HEAVY METAL
Heavy Metal is more engrossed in the loud, intense, and brutal sounds that come out from the instruments. The lyrics usually have to do with things of the occult, or demonic things like that. Lots of angels and demons. Surprisingly, there's lots of references to Christian themes in them. But nü metal bands, aren't always about the Christ and Satan. They to focus things that they find important to themselves, whether this be politics(Rage Against The Machine), or the downsides of being human(Linkin Park). Although both genres use basically the same instruments, how they are utilized is completely different. For example, in a heavy metal song it's all about hearing that electric guitar just hammer out power chords and giving out insane solos but with a nü metal song, it may want to not have guitar be an extreme part of song but have drums be that instrument to give the song some extra "oomph" to it.
Try to tell the difference!!!
Cyanide - Metallica (Metal) - 1990
Wild International - One Day As A Lion (Nü Metal) - 2009
Samples
Artist: Rage Against The Machine
Song: "Bulls On Parade"
Genre: Rap Metal
Year: 1996
As all of RATM's songs, "Bulls on Parade" is a song with strong political undertones. From my research, the song addresses the U.S.'s military and it's aggressive tendencies. It details in many ways how U.S. military could or has already destroyed the U.S. as a whole. Notice how the bass line is constant throughout the song, with a more jazz feel, while the guitar uses distortion techniques, timed with the bass line, in the intro and bridge with a more punk rock feel.
Census Data: "In the year 1980, the percentage of white people in the U.S. (83.1) was more than 7 times the amount of black or african-americans (11.7)." As compared to 1990, where the percentage of white people in the U.S. (80.3) was exactly the same, about 7 times more than african-americans (12.1).
Music Video:
Artist: Rage Against The Machine
Song: "Vietnow"
Genre: Rap Metal
Year: 1997
Another RATM song. This one is much different both in context and sound.
Both bass and guitar use three second riffs, then preceded by another riff throughout the entire song.
This song has a more hip-hop feel than other RATM songs. When the riffs pause the more important
can more clearly be heard. There's also a lot more distortion techniques with both guitar and bass
along with the separate beat of the drums allows for some nice syncing.
Census Data: "In the year 2000, the population of blacks in America from under 18 to 64, (91.8) was almost equal to the percentage of people in America who aren't black. (
87.5)
Artist: System of A Down
Song: "Sugar"
Genre: Alternative Rock
Year: 1999
Now System Of A Down is a bit of a conundrum. They believe in the fact that your interpretation of their songs are more important than their interpretation. But here is the widely considered meaning of the song "Sugar". Basically talks of a man who'd taken a sweetener by the name of "Aspartame". This caused him to commit unspeakable crimes against many people. (i.e. his girlfriend) A social reference to the sweetener's ties to homicidal tendencies.This song uses polyrhythms between the drums,
bass and guitar.Especially the bass which has the most
difficult rhythm to keep.
Music Video:
Census Data: "In the year 2000,
Artist: System of A Down
Song: "War?"
Genre: Alternative Rock
Year: 1999
Another SOAD song. The meaning of the song "War?" is a lot more clearer. It talks about
the disaster of the Armenian Genocide of 1915. The song tries to hit a question of "What is war exactly?"
Thus the title being called "War?" instead without a question mark. Asking: "Is this what you call war?"
In fact it's very similar to the song "Veitnow" by Rage Against The Machine(mentioned previously).
It does the same idea short riffs spliced with pauses along with distortion effects. Then fusing the sounds
in the chorus and bridge of the song.
Music Video:
Census Data:
"In the year 2000, the percentage of white children attending school (69.3%) out weighed the percentage of african-american (14.9%) by more than 55%."
Nu Metal as it is in the present
Artist: System of A Down
Song: "B.Y.O.B."
Genre: Hard Rock
Year: 2005
This is a more recent SOAD song being from 2005 instead the 90's where the term was invented. As one of SOAD more politically focused songs, B.Y.O.B. is a acronym for "Bring Your Own Bombs" Derived from the other acronym, "Buy Your Own Beer". Basically talking of the business behind war tactics. Also in the fact of how war is, the men and women, who may be less fortunate, volunteer to fight for their country and just ended dying or being horribly injured in the process. So SOAD, asks the questions constantly throughout the song: "Why do they always send the poor?" and "Why don't presidents fight the war?"
They believe that the government puts so much money into wars, why don't they fight them themselves? This is shredding non-stop, throughout the entire song. Along the vocals into only intensify that, less singing but more a spoken word, to get across what they the want to say. There's some really nice syncopation of the drums along with guitar and bass, when the chorus is playing (listen to understand what saying).
Artist: Buckethead
Song: "Waiting Hare" (featuring Serj Tankian & Shana Halligan)
Genre: Blues/Avant-Garde
Year: 2005
This song I believe has remnants of the call and response method. In a simple sense it's a love story where the two lovers are separated by a great distance, with one wanting the other to be with them, and they'll always be waiting for them regardless. In most of the song, it's a switch between the female (Shana Halligan) and the male (Serj Tankian), where they try to communicate throughout the song. This is a great example of call and response, as it returns to our foundation. Also it uses the blues structure very well. It goes where Shana Halligan(A) sings her verses as it goes to Serj Tankan(B) with his drastically different form of singing, into the chorus where the metal/blues really shines. It also incorporates distortion which is huge component of nu metal.
Artist: Buckethead
Song: "Three Fingers" (featuring Saul Williams)
Genre: Alternative Hip-Hop/Rock
Year: 2005
This is another song by Buckethead. But it's drastically different in tempo, from "Waiting Hare". This song paints a different story of a homeless man, with three fingers (thus the title) who plays guitar in the streets yet scares the people passing by with appearance, grisly voice and shredding ability. In a sense, Saul Williams and Buckethead portray this man. The song is a lot more upbeat than "Waiting Hare". Although it has this upbeat tempo, Saul Williams himself speaks in a very low tone of voice, as he portrays the homeless man. Throughout the song he repeats the same verse, :
Three fingers on a swollen hand
beside a dented garbage can
a blind man staring
at something only he can see
I spotted him like night
sky plotted and star struck
sits at alone, eats at home
rafted in a sea of blackness
He rattles his cup
just enough to call your bluff
you can't pretend you didn't see him
catch his smile in the rear view
out of the blue his guitar entered hard
with three fingers he plays
praise what he says might scare you
as a means to solidify his appearance. It's almost hip-hop like in it's structure. Then when the song goes into it's chorus, it transform from a hip-hop song into full-blown "metal" sound. This song also uses 4 beats per measure, while "Waiting Hare" uses 16 beats.
Artist: Cage The Elephant
Song: "In One Ear"
Genre: Rock
Year: 2010
This is a song from a newer band, Cage The Elephant. This song talks about the music industry doubted the band's abilities to make in the business. This song represents their opinion on those things said, and sort of giving the middle finger to those who doubted them. They believe that they're here for the music and not the money or fame. Towards the end of the song they talk about how their actually going to take the music industry by storm with their music. You can notice a great deal of syncopation in the intro and bridge of the song.
Music Video:
African Americans in Nü Metal
As it has been, rock music in general mainly consists of caucasian people. As Hip-hop/Rap is with African-American people. Now this has change over the years when people like Jimi Hendrix entered the rock sense, and changed the way people play music for generations to come. Nowadays, there still less africans-americans in rock than there are in hip-hop. Mainly in metal music, african-american are hard to find. But in the late 90's to the present, African-Americans are becoming more present in Nü Metal. Some notable bands with African-American members are:Sevendust - Lajon Witherspoon (Lead Singer)
Killswitch Engage - Howard Jones (Lead Vocals), Mike D'Antonio (Bassist)
Main Aspects Of Nü Metal
The following are the instruments found in nü metal. These can be found in every nü metal song, but are not limited to:
Guitar (acoustic or electric)
Bass
Drums
Vocals (be that singing or rapping or even screaming)
Distortion
Killswitch
A Tutorial on "Killswitching" using Jordan by Buckethead.